Shopping For Groceries Can Also Mean Giving To The Hungry

FORT LAUDERDALE — Lorraine Woods went to Publix to feed an empty stomach.

When she walked out of the supermarket she had fed more people than she had planned.

Woods gave money as part of a six-week program Publix launched this week to collect donations for Daily Bread Food Bank.

Donors pick up cards in Publix checkout lines specifying 75-cent, $2 or $5 donations. Cashiers then run the cards over the same computer scanner used with groceries.

''It's read like any tomato, soup can or peanut butter, and it's put right on the register tape,'' said Ezra Krieg, director of development for the food bank. The food bank distributes food for the needy to over 400 agencies in South Florida.

The amount of money donated to the food bank will be tallied by a Publix computer, and the store will give a check each month to the charity.

More than 130 Publix stores in South Florida are participating. Last year, the program was run in Dade County and over $80,000 was raised.

Woods, who made a 75-cent donation at the Publix on 17th Street in Fort Lauderdale, said Americans have an obligation to help the less fortunate.

''If we can give millions of dollars to foreign countries, we can give 75 cents to feed the hungry,'' she said.

Publix is not the only store that gives customers a chance to help those in need.

Winn Dixie stores' ''Even it up'' program has raised more than $300,000 for the hungry since 1989.

Winn Dixie customers give contributions by telling the checkout cashier to round their bills to the nearest dollar.